The Harvest Trail are a 3 piece from Australia who perform Melodic Death Metal, and ‘Spree’ is their first EP since their debut back in 2021. Rather short with just 6 tracks, the sound is more older Soilwork during the ‘Chainheart Machine Days’ with maybe a touch of ‘Predator’s Portrait’ but no clean vocals whatsoever. Vocals are growled or snarled in typical heavier Melodeath fashion, but the real treat is in those guitar melodies. Touching on that Gothenburg sound from the likes of Dark Tranquility or In Flames, this is definitely a trip back to late 90s Melodeath that in no way really resembles the more modern style that is populated by clean vocals and electronics or ‘ballad’ moments. While not wildly solo focused, there tracks like ‘Manhunt’ that just hammer over and over with some infectious riffs and the only downside is that the song (like many here) is very short so it goes by faster than what listeners might like. Other tracks like ‘Aftermath’ have that slow, dark acoustic approach to it with that ‘Jester Race’ touch from In Flames and show the different, building side of the Melodeath genre. While some of the other tracks do start off slow before taking off, this one instrumental sure will take the cake for those who like that kind of tension building music, like Amon Amarth will do before breaking out into their Melo Viking Death bellows. Ultimately, this EP is not really enough to really get a full sense of what The Harvest Trail are about, but it is a nice preview to get fans of the 90s Melodeath pretty interested.
The Harvest Trail – Spree [EP]
Info
- Bands: The Harvest Trail
- Labels: Self-Released
- Release Formats: CD, EP
- Release Years: 2023
- Review Date: April 19, 2023
- Authors: Colin McNamara
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